Neil Gaiman faces multiple allegations of sexual assault; author responds

Renowned author Neil Gaiman is confronting several sexual assault allegations, leading to a police complaint being filed in New Zealand. Gaiman has responded, denying the accusations.

According to Tortoise Media, two women have accused Neil Gaiman of sexual assault during consensual relationships with him. These allegations date back twenty years but were first reported in Tortoise's podcast "Master: the allegations against Neil Gaiman," released on Wednesday.

The women allege incidents of "rough and degrading sex," claiming that these encounters were not always consensual.

Who are the women who are claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Neil Gaiman?

One of the accusers, a 23-year-old woman named Scarlett, alleges she was sexually assaulted by Gaiman in February 2022, only hours after they first met.

Scarlett claims the assault took place in a bath at Gaiman's New Zealand home, where she was employed as a nanny for his child. Gaiman, however, states that they only "cuddled" and "made out" that day, and describes their subsequent three-week sexual relationship as entirely consensual. Scarlett maintains that Gaiman was "rough and degrading," and reportedly, messages, notes, and accounts from friends back up her allegations.

Another accuser, who goes by K, says she was an 18-year-old fan when she first met Gaiman at a book signing in Sarasota, Florida, in 2003. K alleges that she began a romantic relationship with Gaiman when she turned 20, involving rough sex that she "neither wanted nor enjoyed."

She claims that in one instance, Gaiman forcefully penetrated her despite her objections.

How did Neil Gaiman respond to the allegations of sexual assault against him?

Gaiman has also denied this claim. The Sandman author insists that his relationship with K was never unlawful and says he is "disturbed" by the accusations. Gaiman believes K's allegations are rooted in "regret" over their relationship once it ended.

He also attributed Scarlett's allegations to a condition associated with false memories. However, the Tortoise report noted that this claim isn't supported by her medical records.

Gaiman has emphatically denied all allegations of non-consensual sex with the women accusing him of sexual assault. He also claimed that the New Zealand police ignored his offer to assist with one woman's complaint in 2022, suggesting this indicates a lack of substance in the investigation.

Gaiman has been one of pop culture's most esteemed authors for a long time, creating celebrated stories such as The Sandman, Good Omens, and American Gods.